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Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation

Foundation in General= = = = = = = = = = I normally wear a liquid foundation during the weekends and when going out for a night out on the town. I have always used a liquid foundation as I like the way it makes my skin look slightly better and also gives my face some colour whilst covering up imperfections and helping to hide blemishes. I have never really been one of these who spend a large amount of money on makeup and tend to go for cheaper brands. The foundation I have been using for a long time is Boots own brand of Foundation which is fairly good value for money although I don't find this foundation very long-lasting and it doesn't really help to cover up imperfections very well. As I had nearly finished the bottle of foundation I was currently using I thought I would treat myself to a few new makeup products by other, well-known and slightly more expensive brands. I wanted to get some primer by a cosmetics company called 'Smashbox', so I thought I would take a look at their foundation as well. When picking a shade of foundation I never normally test it and purchase one that I think would look good on me, this may be why my last foundation made me look a little orange. The girl at the Smashbox counter was very helpful and helped me to choose and foundation in a shade that would suit me and match my skin tone. She did this by trying a range of different colours on a small area of my face. Once she thought she had found the right shade she then showed me and asked me what I thought. I agreed that this colour was suited to my face and she said she would apply it all over so I could see what it looked like properly. The foundation looked flawless and made my skin look really good. It also helped to cover up imperfections. I have to admit that I was used to wearing something with slightly more colour but then I guess that's what bronzer is for. I decided to purchase the foundation along with the primer that I originally went in for.

The Foundation = = = = = = = The foundation is called Studio Skin and actually gets its name from the quality and long lasting length of the foundation. Due to the breakthrough long-wearing formula the foundation claims to stay picture-perfect for a full 15 hours, which is developed to withstand intense on-set conditions. Your skin is hydrated and shine-free whilst imperfections are blurred with light diffusing spheres. The foundation is buildable which means to can have medium to full coverage and it's water, sweat, humidity and transfer resistant. The foundation is also oil free and helps to control oil. With this foundation you will no longer need to do any touch ups during the day or night. The foundation comes in a box which has a picture of the bottle of the foundation on the front. On the top of the box is the shade of colour you have purchased which in this case is 1.2 (Warm Fair). On the back of the box it gives you a list of ingredients and warning information about the product which includes keeping it out of the eyes and if irritation occurs to stop using the product. On the other side of the box is information about the foundation and a tip on how to apply it. The foundation itself comes in a clear glass bottle with a black pump lid. It clearly states what type of foundation the product is. On the bottom of the bottle is again has the shade of the foundation. Due to the bottle being made from glass this makes it slightly heavier to carry around then a foundation in a plastic tube or pump bottle. On the back of the bottle is contact information for Smashbox and it also states to keep the product out of eyes. There is a black plastic lid on the top of the bottle which pulls off to reveal the pump bottle. There is a small hole in which the foundation dispenses out of when the pump lid is pressed down.

Price/Availability= = = = = = = =The foundation comes in one size which is a 30ml bottle. The foundation is priced at £27.50 which is rather pricey compared to the foundation I used to purchase which was just over £5.00. It's available in a range of different shades including:

If you are unsure what colour/shade you are I would highly recommend visiting your local Smashbox counter where the staff member can help chose the right shade for you.

Using the Foundation= = = = = = = = = =I applied some primer before applying the foundation (Smashbox Photo-Finish Primer) and then got ready to apply the foundation. A tip they give you when applying foundation is to always start in the center of the face (around and on the nose). This is where skin tends to be most discoloured, so a little extra care here will help even out your complexion. I don't normally start by applying foundation here; how-ever I decided I would take their advice. I shook the foundation up as it can be a little watery at first and then pressed the pump lid down to dispense some of the foundation onto the back of my hand. I always do this as it helps the foundation warm up meaning it glides on easily and is much easier to apply. The foundation had some colour to it, but wasn't as orangey looking as my previous foundation which was good. The foundation wasn't as thick as my previous one; how-ever I still had confident in using the product. Using a foundation brush I started to apply the foundation starting off on the nose and the area around it. The foundation was really easy to apply and glided onto my skin really well (the primer probably helped). I'm always very careful when applying foundation to ensure it looks perfect so I spent a good few minutes applying it. I also applied the foundation very carefully around the eye area, avoiding getting any of the product into my eyes. I normally apply powder on the top for a flawless finish but didn't have any Smashbox powder so just used my previous brand which was a Boots 17 powder.

Results= = = =I actually looked at the results after applying the foundation before I applied any powder. The foundation had definitely helped to cover up any blemishes and my skin looked much better with some slight colour but didn't look orange. The shade that the lady at the counter helped me chose was perfect for me. Although the foundation looked great on its own I applied powder for a more flawless finish. I used a big brush to apply the powder and then looked at the results. Now I had applied the powder my skin looked flawless and really smooth. Due to the perfect colour match you couldn't even really tell that I had foundation on at all due to it suiting my skin toner perfectly. Although the last at the counter said you can build this foundation up, I didn't really want to do this and was happy with the way it looked. The foundation didn't feel heavy or greasy on my skin. I had a few small blemishes on my face and although the foundation hadn't covered them totally, they weren't as obvious as they were before. I found that the foundation did a good job at helping to conceal the dark circles under my eyes. I applied the foundation mid-morning and would be out all day and returning home later that evening so I would really see if this foundation was long lasting or not. Throughout the time I was out I popped to the toilets a few times and glanced in the mirror and was happy to see that my foundation still looked perfect and didn't need any touching up. This was actually the case all night. In brighter light my skin looked extremely flawless and smooth. As the foundation is paler than my previous one I would definitely apply a bronzer on top of this to give my face some colour, especially during the summer. When I finally got home, I was impressed to see that the makeup still looked perfect and hadn't gone patchy or even started wearing off. I removed the make up using a Simple Facial Wipe which removed the make up easily, without the need to rub. My skin felt cleansed afterwards and none of my pores felt blocked.

Overall Opinion= = = = = = =This is the most expensive item I currently have in my makeup bag and although I was a little weary about purchasing make up that was so expensive, I am now glad I did. I'm extremely glad that I got help from the lady at the Smashbox counter otherwise I wouldn't have had a clue what shade to go for. I am more than happy with the shade that was chosen for me as it matches my skin tone perfectly and helps to make my skin look much more flawless and smoother. The foundation was really easy to apply using a foundation brush which I find gives much better coverage. I tend to press down on the pump lid once to dispense some of the product as if you dispense too much you can't get it back into the bottle and as the product is expensive I didn't want to waste any. Due to me using the foundation with a primer this probably helped the foundation to look flawless and also helped it to last throughout the day. I haven't been clubbing or worn the foundation somewhere hot so I can't comment on how well the foundation lasts in hotter temperatures. The only downside to the product I would say is the price, how-ever I don't really mind paying this for a good foundation, especially as I now have one which matches my skin tone. I would highly recommend this foundation to others as it's definitely the best foundation I have used. If you are unsure of what shade to go for then the lady at the Smashbox counter should be able to find the correct shade for you.

(review may also appear on ciao)

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The price is reflected in the good quality of this product!

A few months ago I was convinced by a sales assistant in Debenhams to test some of the Smashbox products. Having never heard of the brand I was naturally curious, so agreed to trying out a few products. This then lead on to me purchasing a new foundation: the Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Foundation.

Smashbox is an American brand, used by many professional make-up artists. It is not so well-known in Britain, but it is sold in department stores like Debenhams, and online from various websites. Most of their products are rather expensive, but I have found most of them discounted on websites such as eBay.

This foundation costs £29.50, which is more expensive than many other brands, but the price reflects in the good quality of the product, and I would say that it's worth the money. I am sure you could find a cheaper foundation that does the same things, but this one is the first foundation I have found that I am fully happy with.

I have medium to fair combination skin and it can be a challenge trying to find a foundation that provides good coverage, without drying out my skin or making it oily.

There are over 15 shades of this foundation available, with a shade for every skin tone. Personally, I picked up the 1.2 shade, which looks dark in the bottle, but comes out much paler. I find that even though this shade is one of the lightest available, it matches my skin well.

The foundation is sold in a black box which contains a 30ml glass bottle, with a black pump dispenser and lid. The bottle is simple, but I have no faults with the design; the pump dispenser works well, the lid comes off easily, but won't pop off in your make-up bag, and the bottle is sturdy. On the front of the bottle the brand and the name of the foundation is printed on in black. On the back of the bottle there is some safety information and warnings.

Once dispensed, the foundation is quite thin, but not too runny. The consistency is good for a liquid foundation, as oppose to other similar foundations I have used that are too runny. I apply the foundation with a foundation brush, but a sponge could also be used. You could possibly try using your fingers, but it may be messy. Personally, I dispense the foundation onto the back of my hand, before putting on my sponge or foundation brush, you don't have to do this but I prefer to, so that I don't put too much directly onto my face.

I apply my Smashbox primer (see review) first, and then this foundation, before putting a powder on top. I would recommend using a powder because the foundation leaves a dewy finish, it's not too shiny, but it's not particularly matte either.

The foundation applies well to the skin; it's not streaky or patchy. For best coverage I recommend using a brush, but a sponge will still give you good results. It rubs in well, and sheers out to produce natural and even coverage. The foundation dries instantly, making the process quicker and more convenient.

A little bit of the product goes a long way, so despite the price this product is worth it because it lasts a long time. Usually, I only use two or three pumps of the foundation on my whole face, and that provides sufficient coverage.

I tend to use more foundation over any blemishes or circles around the eyes, and this sometimes can remove the need for use of concealer, although on any darker skin patches, blemishes or marks I would still use concealer, to give extra coverage. The foundation feels light on your skin you can't really feel that you're wearing it.

The foundation is also SPF 10, so protects your face from excess sunlight and sunburn. With the British weather I have not been overly exposed to much sunlight, so cannot fully comment of this factor.

This product should also hydrate skin, which is why I find it useful on my combination skin. After moisturising, the foundation locks in the moisture, ensuring my face remains hydrated all day without drying out. I have found that if you don't apply moisturiser before putting on your make-up this foundation can accentuate dryness though, so a bit of time and care is needed.

The foundation claims to last up to 15 hours, and I would agree with that. The foundation looks as good when I get home in the evening as it did when I applied it that morning.

Another thing I like about this foundation is that there is little transfer if your face comes in contact with your clothes or anything else, the foundation remains on your face all day.

To remove you just need a make-up wipe or make up remover, and the foundation will easily come off your face.

I have particularly sensitive skin on my face, so I must be careful with which products I use on it. Even after repeated use, this product has caused me no irritationto my skin, and hasn't made me break out either.

The bottle states that the foundation lasts for 24 months after opening.

In conclusion, this Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Foundation is definitely a product I will be repurchasing again. I have been pleased with the coverage, the hydration, and the long lasting effects. I am overall very happy with this purchase, and the only fault I can think of is the price. 5 stars from me!